The Golden Lotus
by Ladysgrace
Summary: Can Inuyasha and Co. save Sesshoumaru? Why would they want to?
1. Default Chapter

Okay. So the Prologue's not really dramatic or romantic.. give it time.. (  
  
The Golden Lotus  
  
Prologue: He has a mate?!?  
  
The battle had been a long one, and exhaustion was quickly catching up to the group. Even Inuyasha's steps were a bit slower than normal. Just a little farther, he thought, and we can rest for the night. He had been this way many times in his childhood.this land was dangerously close to the lands that were once his fathers, and were now Sesshoumaru's. He knew that if his half brother found them inside the border of the lands he claimed as his own the rest of their lives would be short. But the recent battle had not been easy, and though none of his human friend's injuries were bad ones, he knew that they needed rest and that they needed it now. The spot that he was thinking of was just at the edge of a small lake, which was well stocked with fish. They would eat well, rest and leave out in the morning. Hopefully before his brother was even aware of their presence.  
  
But upon entering the clearing Inuyasha's heart dropped into his stomach, and at the same time he was filled with a sense of relief. Akaro would allow them to stay here.he hoped. When Inuyasha stopped suddenly it caused the others to run into him. "What's wrong?" Kagome asked.  
  
Inuyasha didn't speak, but nodded his head toward a tall woman standing by the small lake. She had long, flowing purple-black hair, and was wearing a silk Kimono. She was standing with her back to them as if waiting on someone. She hadn't moved upon their approach, but Inuyasha knew that she had sensed their presence long before they had ever gotten this close. Upon hearing Kagome speak she turned to the group. "I've been waiting for you Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru sent me to meet you."  
  
"He WHAT? I'm having no part of this I-" Exploded Inuyasha  
  
"Wait.who are you and what do you mean Sesshoumaru sent you to wait for him?" Kagome, seeing Inuyasha's anger, quickly interjected.  
  
"My name is Akaro, I am Sesshoumaru's mate. Sesshoumaru is in poor health and has need of his brother's assistance. Without it, he may die. Will you come with me willingly, Inuyasha, or am I going to have to force you? Your friends of course can come along as well. I can't carry them all, but I'm sure the cat can carry the rest can't she?"  
  
Akaro's first words shocked Kagome so much she didn't hear the rest. 'Sesshoumaru has a mate? I wonder why Inuyasha never mentioned her? She seems to like Inuyasha.at least she's not as cold to him as his brother is,' Kagome thought. It took Kagome a minute to catch up with the rest of Akaro's short speech. "Wait, why should Inuyasha help Sesshoumaru? It's not like Sesshoumaru ever did any thing for Inuyasha."  
  
"He knows why he has to go, don't you Inuyasha? You also know why above all else you don't want your brother to die yet. You've not told any of your friends, have you?" Akaro was now wearing an amused smile. And now that Kagome was looking more closely at her she could see the same crescent moon mark on her forehead as was on Sesshoumaru's.  
  
"What does she mean, Inuyasha? What haven't you told us?" This question came from Shippou who took that moment to jump on Inuyasha's shoulder.  
  
"I.well.if Sesshoumaru dies before he has an heir I have to take over these lands in his place, until a suitable heir could be found. The three of us," Inuyasha explained, gesturing toward Akaro, "are among the last of our kind. To have a suitable heir I would likely have to mate with Akaro." This last was said in a mumble, with Inuyasha's cheeks glowing red. "I have to go to him, to see if I can help him. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to. You can go wait with Kaeda in the village. I will return there when I am done."  
  
"No, of course we are going with you. How could you think we would let you go by yourself? Lady Akaro, you never said what was wrong with Lord Sesshoumaru. Why don't you fill us in on the way." Miroku said, leering at Akaro.  
  
'Will he ever stop flirting? She is way above him.not to mention she could rip his head off before he could even blink.' Sango thought while calling for Kirara. 


	2. Brotherly Affection?

Oh yeah.Disclaimer.well.if I owned Inuyasha or any of the other characters from the series.I'd be a much richer woman. :D Any original characters are mine to torment!!  
  
Thanks to those that have read and rated this! It's my first and it's been fun so far. I'm trying to be as kind to the characters as I can be!! (  
  
From here on in *this* means character thoughts.  
  
Chapter 1: Brotherly affection?  
  
After much complaining by Inuyasha, the group was finally up in the air and on their way to Sesshoumaru's castle. The world below them was falling away rapidly as they began moving North and West. Miroku, Sango and Shippou rode on Kirara, while Inuyasha and Kagome rode on the back of, now transformed, Akaro.  
  
"I know you are anxious to know why I came to find you. In your position I would be too. I will tell you the simple version and let Jakken tell you the rest. Sesshoumaru had learned of two cat demons that had trespassed on his territory and had gone to take care of them. Two days after he left Jakken came to me shouting and screaming that I had to help Sesshoumaru. You especially, Inuyasha, know how Sesshoumaru feels about accepting help, so at first I was reluctant to do so. But then it occurred to me what the nagging feeling that I'd had for the last day was: Sesshoumaru really was hurt and in trouble. I can sometimes feel his emotions, but I have learned over the years to block them out for the most part. I left immediately, with Jakken in tow. The closer I got to the spot where Sesshoumaru was, the more insistent the feeling became. He was actually calling me, I think he may have been calling you too, Inuyasha."  
  
"Che, why would that bastard call to me for help?" Inuyasha asked, being careful, for once, not to sound to harsh. He wasn't sure if he would be able to handle a fall to the ground from this height. He knew that Akaro didn't hate him, but he also knew that at times she could be very protective of her mate.  
  
"If I may finish?" At a nod from Inuyasha, she continued. "As I got closer to him I could smell his scent, but it was tainted by the smell of decay and roses. I was confused. I had smelled the taint before; the scent was unique to a very rare poison made from a very rare flower. Sesshoumaru was fevered, and hallucinating. He was calling my name, as well as yours, Inuyasha, and your father's. I think he was also calling to his mother, but I couldn't be sure. I picked him up and carried him back to our palace. He has floated in and out of consciousness for three days, but he calls for you in his sleep. In one of his more lucid moments he asked me to find you. And now we come to the reason I was sent for you."  
  
"He's probably dreaming of killing me. Anyway, you still haven't answered my question. Why do you think he was calling to me?" Inuyasha felt her tense her muscles, and grabbed onto her back more securely. *I need to watch my damn tongue, she would throw me right off*  
  
"Tell me, why were you coming in this direction? Never before have you come so close to the lands your brother owns. Why now?" Asked Akaro.  
  
"You know she's right, Inuyasha. For about four days now we've been traveling in the same direction, and you've been very insistent about it." Sango interjected. She had nudged Kirara closer to hear Akaro's story and had been thinking about everything she had told them.  
  
"I would be more than happy to help in any way I can, Lady Akaro." Miroku said with a smile. *Her husband is dying, maybe she'll need a shoulder to cry on.* Miroku thought with a leer.  
  
"I thank you for that, priest. But my mate is beyond any help except the antidote to the poison. That's why I came to find you, Inuyasha. I think your brother's reasons for my finding you might have been different, but I want you to find the flower I need for the antidote."  
  
"Flower? Didn't Sesshoumaru keep the gardens up after father died? I'm sure you could find almost any flower in the world in those gardens. Why don't you just look there and let us go about our way. I have no desire to look upon the face of my brother, and even less to hear what he may have to say to me." Inuyasha could smell the frustration emanating from Akaro's scent.  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha in surprise. *If I didn't know better I would have sworn that I heard regret in his voice. I think he does want to see his brother.*  
  
"I already know that the flower I want is in no garden that grows at the palace. If it were do you think Sesshoumaru would be bedridden and near death right now? You almost vex me beyond my patience, but I need you Hanyou. Please, Inuyasha. Do this for the affection that you and your brother once shared. If not for that, do it for the friendship that you and I still have." Kagome heard a note of sadness in Akaro's voice, and heard it deepen when she spoke of the lost affection between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.  
  
*I wonder what affection she means. Did they truly ever like one another?* Sango wondered to herself.  
  
At the speed that they were traveling, getting to the palace was the work of hours. The sight that greeted Kagome and Company was an amazing one. Kagome had never seen anything like it, and wondered that Sesshoumaru could surround himself with such beauty. It was large, and built in the style of most palaces of the era. From what Kagome could see it seemed to sprawl in a large square that surrounded a large courtyard in which nearly every type of tree she had ever seen was growing. Akaro had one of the servants show them to their rooms, and along the way Kagome got the chance to see a bit more of the palace. The outside walls were built mostly of stone, with some wood. The inside walls were made of the same material of any house she had ever been inside of. They were in the part of the palace that the servant referred to as the main house. Kagome could see that there were two or three other squares that bordered the main one. After speaking to the servant about the layout she found out that the main house consisted of guest rooms, as well as the master suite, and many sitting rooms. The second square, which was connected to the main house by a covered walkway, was where the kitchen and dining area were located, as well as a larger banquet hall. The bathhouse was just off of the kitchen, but was well secluded from the rest of the house. The third square was a wall that enclosed the other gardens; it had pathways and sitting areas. The fourth and final square contained the servant's quarters and personal areas. There apparently was a fifth square a bit away from the rest that contained the dojo, and guards' rooms.  
  
Once inside their rooms, Kagome and Sango found that the walls between their two rooms could be pulled aside, though the others were firmly unmovable. Miroku and Inuyasha found the same between their rooms. After putting their things away and then heading to the bath houses to wash up, Akaro came to retrieve Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru was lucid and wanted to speak with him. Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Shippou retreated to Kagome and Sango's rooms to wait on his return.  
  
Well, how was it? Let me know!  
  
I know.still no romance.it's gonna come, I promise!! 


End file.
